35. Going Insane

Since Percy wasn't around, she let her emotions show. She tried to keep her eyes on the stairs and her body stuck to the left side as she slowly, but steadily made her way up. She tried to breathe calmly without getting dizzy, but her hands still shook. Don't look down. Don't look down. Don't- WHY DID YOU LOOK DOWN?! She froze and pressed herself against the wall. She grunted and decided to just get it over with. She ran up the remaining steps and almost burst through the door up top. The sun was hovering right over the horizon, making Percy a silhouette against the light. He stood at the railing, resting on his elbows as the wind whirled his hair softly.

Thalia walked quietly and sat down on the bench, deciding not to bother him. His body language clearly said he wasn't happy. The bench squeaked as she sat down and Percy turned to look at her. He smiled faintly, though she could barely see his face.

"Thanks for coming," he said as he walked over and sat down next to her; so close their knees were a breath apart.

"No problem," Thalia said, without looking at him. Percy stayed quiet, like he was pondering his thoughts and only wanted her there for moral support.

"Are you okay?" she asked, breaking the silence. Percy's straight face suddenly crinkled as he frowned. Great, I just made it worse. He took a deep breath and spoke, but kept his eyes on the setting sun.

"Did you know Nico wasn't my biological brother?" Percy asked and the question kind of took Thalia off guard, though she wasn't that much surprised. Nico looked nothing like Sally or Percy, except for the equally messy black hair. They were very different. Percy was tan with green eyes while Nico was pale with brown eyes. Thalia didn't say anything, though. Percy bowed his head. "He didn't know," he said softly. He sighed and sniffled, as if he had been crying earlier.

"We adopted him when he was only 3 years old," Percy said and then he smiled softly, like he was remembering that day. "Mom had everything done. All we had to do was pick him up and there he was; with a jacket a size too big for him so it dragged on the floor and a spider-man lunchbox." He smiled and looked up at the horizon, the light shining unnaturally in his green eyes. "When we got home, he opened up his lunchbox to show us his toys and it was packed to the top with mythomagic cards and toys," Percy chuckled, but then he looked down. "He had every god and goddess of Olympus… except for one. A few days ago, he met a girl that had the god he was missing."

"But… isn't there more than one statue?" Thalia asked softly, wondering how Nico could come to such huge conclusions by something not so uncommon.

"Oh yeah," Percy chuckled half-heartedly. "But none with his initials carved into it," he sighed. That's when Thalia understood.

"The girl was his sister. They were separated when they were little, but he was so young he didn't remember," Percy said.

"Where did he meet her?" Thalia asked. Percy shrugged.

"Some all-girls camp out here. They met in an arcade. The reason he came home that day all grumpy is when he saw the statue she had. The day you came by he confronted mom about it. He didn't come home until really late," Percy said, leaning back and putting his knuckles under his chin. Thalia frowned. She had made herself believe that everyone's life was so much better than hers, but she was wrong. She wanted to say something, but she wasn't going to say something like "I'm sorry" because she really wasn't. And she never found much sense in that phrase to begin with. How could you be sorry for someone else's problems you didn't cause? And it's not like many people ever meant it when they said it.

But either way, she felt the need to comfort him, she just had no idea what to do. She wasn't good at this; at making people feel better. She raised her hand and hesitantly and awkwardly touched his shoulder. Percy didn't look at her, but after a few seconds he reached up to touch her hand. She was a little tempted in letting him do so, but she couldn't bring herself to do it and she quickly pulled her hand back. Clearing her throat, she scooted away, as much as the small bench allowed. Percy looked at her and his eyes seemed to shine like emeralds. He had a special look in them and Thalia had an idea what it meant. But his stare was making her nervous. She forced a weak smile and stood up and walked towards the railing, though she cursed herself as soon as she reached it.

She hated heights, and this was a pretty tall building. Her hands were sweating, but she was too stubborn and didn't want to give herself away. She heard Percy come up next to her before she saw his swirling black hair.

"Why do you do that?" he asked, looking at her. Thalia shifted her feet.

"Do what?" she asked without sparing a glance at him.

"Pull away," he said.

"I don't," Thalia defended herself. Percy leaned in closer and she almost instinctively leaned away.

"See?" Percy said and Thalia sighed.

"Sorry," she muttered, though she wasn't even sure why she should be sorry at all. They weren't a couple or even dating (officially). She had every right to pull away. Without saying anything else, Percy grabbed her hand and she felt a small jolt go up her arm. And she immediately started panicking. Thalia Grace does not get butterflies for a boy. He turned her towards him and she had to look up since he was several inches taller than her. Oh the perks of having a 6 ft. friend.

She noticed he was moving in and she knew what would happen if she didn't pull away. But you know what the crazy thing was? She didn't move. She kind of didn't want to. She found herself leaning in, to meet him half way. Their lips touched and it sent a tingle down her spine. Percy got closer to her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in tight. And she didn't resist. She couldn't remember this feeling; of being wanted, of being desired.

Her hands reached up and twirled her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer, even though she was already on her tip toes to reach him. He smelt like the ocean, like it was living inside him. And he seemed just as gentle and just as rough. The first time they had kissed, he had been soft and gentle, but this time he was rough, she could tell. And she knew just why.

He seemed calm on the outside, but inside he was raging; from Nico's discovery and the gods know what else. But she didn't mind. In fact, she liked it and she requited it. She grabbed at his shirt, her nails digging into his back as his hands held her tight. He wasn't the only who wanted to blow off steam. The anger in Thalia's stomach was revealed in her scratching and nipping of his lips. So much so, Percy jerked away, a small trail of blood lining his lips.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, but she barely finished her words when Percy came barreling in again, with more force. She could taste his blood, but it didn't really phase her. They pulled and tugged at each other, as if it was some fight to see who was better. Her kiss had always been rough, but this one seemed to soar above all of them. No one had ever had the same enthusiasm, the same desire to want more than a simple kiss. Anyone who saw them would think they were fighting. Percy swung her around, so her back was against the wall and the railing. At this point, she'd be having a panic attack at being positioned like this on the terrace of such a tall building, but at the moment, she didn't really care. She would feel goose bumps up her arms every time he would stray from her lips and kiss her jawline or her neck. And she was surprised to feel muscles flexing in his arms under her touch. He didn't look like it, but he was fairly buff.

Moments later they broke apart and he rested his forehead against hers. They were breathing a little heavily and Thalia suddenly felt tired. Like the anger had been her energy and she had given it all away.

"I thought for sure you were going to punch me this time," Percy whispered. Thalia smiled.

"I thought about it," she teased. They were silent for a few moments until Percy spoke.

"Thalia…" Percy said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to go out on a date with me?" he asked.

"Isn't it a little late for that?" she asked sarcastically.

"Maybe… but do you?" She looked up, their eyes meeting and there was that look, the one she had seen many times before. It was the look of someone who liked you, or maybe even something more. Several days ago, her answer would've been NO. But something must've happened, something that was making her go insane, that made her say yes.

This was the moment we'd all been waiting for! :D I hope I did okay with it. Let me know what you think.

And also, I was interested so many people said Percy! I thought for sure someone would root for Nico, lol. To be honest, I'd think it was a draw, but that's just me :D